In order to fire a projectile, a firearm utilizes an ignited propellant to create a high-pressure pulse of hot gases behind the projectile to force the projectile down the barrel of the firearm. When the high-pressure gases exit the barrel of the firearm, they generate a loud noise, commonly referred to as a “muzzle blast.” Noise suppressors are commonly used with firearms, such as rifles and handguns, to reduce muzzle blast. To reduce muzzle blast, suppressors attach to the end of the firearm barrel and allow the high-pressure gases to expand, and thereby dissipate pressure, before exiting the firearm. By allowing the pressure behind the projectile to dissipate before exiting the firearm, a firearm suppressor can significantly reduce muzzle blast.
In order to allow the high-pressure gases to expand before exiting the firearm, a noise suppressor creates a significantly larger volume than exists in the firearm barrel. Noise suppressors can create this larger volume through a series of chambers, which are often referred to as “baffles” that are separated by “spacers,” and a blast chamber between the end of the firearm barrel and the first baffle. As the projectile exits the firearm barrel, significant high-pressure gases expand into the blast chamber and subject the proximal end of the noise suppressor to significant internal pressure. As the gases expand through the noise suppressor, the gases from the firearm begin to dissipate as they proceed through the blast chamber and into the series of baffles. As a result, the pressure exerted on the interior of the noise suppressor decreases from the proximal end to the distal end of the noise suppressor. However, current noise suppressors are designed to withstand the same internal pressure throughout the suppressor, regardless of the length of the suppressor, and do not account for the disparity of internal pressure between the proximal and distal ends of the suppressors.
By way of example, in current noise suppressors, the blast chamber is commonly designed with the same material and thickness as each of the baffles and spacers. Such suppressors are designed to withstand a maximum pressure throughout the suppressor even though the suppressor only experiences this maximum pressure at its proximal end. As a result, current noise suppressors are not ideally optimized to both decrease weight and maintain the necessary strength to withstand the maximum pressure at the proximal end of the suppressor. This causes such suppressors to be needlessly heavy, which negatively impacts their accuracy and other performance indicators.
By way of further example, in many current noise suppressors, the first baffle and spacer have the same design as the subsequent baffles and spacers even though the high-pressure gases exert a significantly higher force on the proximal end of the first baffle than on the proximal end of each subsequent baffle. For example, certain current noise suppressors are designed with the same baffles separated by spacers throughout the suppressor. Such designs are common because, in part, they are easier to design and manufacture. However, because the internal pressure within a suppressor is greatest on the proximal face of the first baffle, noise suppressors with a first baffle and spacer can experience accuracy problems over time as the alignment of the first baffle and spacer worsen due to the significant pressure experienced on the interface between the first baffle and spacer. Noise suppressors can be designed to address these accuracy problems by combining each baffle and spacer in a single component. However, while such a design potentially addresses the alignment problem created by the high pressure experienced on the proximal face of the first baffle, this design is harder and more expensive to manufacturer and unnecessary for subsequent baffles and spacers that experience less internal pressure. As a result, the baffle and spacer designs of current suppressors are not designed so that the first baffle and spacer are designed to specifically address the issues caused by the initial pressure on the proximal face of the first baffle while ensuring that the remaining baffles and spacers are designed to optimize manufacturing and cost considerations.
Lastly, current noise suppressors typically have a smooth exterior surface, which creates several issues that negatively impact usability. For example, noise suppressors with a smooth exterior surface can be difficult for the user to grip both when attaching the suppressor before use and detaching the suppressor after use. In addition, noise suppressors with a smooth exterior surface often retain heat for a significant amount of time after use, which can make it difficult for the user to remove the noise suppressor from the firearm after use.
Accordingly, there is a need for a noise suppressor designed with increased usability that minimizes weight and increases accuracy, while still possessing the necessary strength to accommodate the maximum internal pressure created from the muzzle blast.